Global Market
With global sales reaching into the billions of dollars, wine can be considered one of the world’s largest markets. Each year the export value continues to rise, as vino becomes more valuable with age. Local wines are hot new-wave offerings in the world of wine, so it’s no surprise that it does well in the global market. Aside from statistics, the demand for wine is huge - people from all over the world are vested in the sweet liquid of the gods, made to satisfy any palate. Especially when the wine offers something their local vino does not.
In recent years, France, Italy and Spain have ranked as three of the highest wine export countries, and Australia and Chile following closely behind - this top five has totalled approximately 69% of the global wine exports. European countries dominate the game of globally exported wine with Australia and New Zealand coming in afterwards. Latin America gets close behind, followed by Asia and North America. Africa, namely Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa have the smallest number of international global sales, which is understandable - they are newcomers on the scene.
South Africa ranks 10th in overall volume production of the world’s wine. This is not bad for a country that is considered to produce ‘New World’ wine, having only re-entered the global market in the 1990s after the abolishment of apartheid and its restricting export legislation. The Department of Trade and Industry are in charge of exports, and wine producers have to apply to the body to be able to sell their wines worldwide.
As the wine industry in SA grows, so will its global export potential. We aren't there yet with the best of the best, but as the local wine industry shifts their focus to modern production techniques and innovation, we’ll get there (eventually). Until then, the local vino market is there to keep us happy.